International Football History and Statistics

On this day in football history

• 1921 Billy Walker of Aston Villa scored the first hat-trick of penalties in the League against Bradford City
• 1927 Charlie Moore scored 5 of Bradford City's 9 goals against Nelson, then in the Third North, but was only able to add two more goals in another 13 games during the remainder of the season. He was a versatile player who appeared in many positions during his career with City, lasted from 1926 until 1939. He played in 338 League matches and scored 52 goals.
• 1932 Duncan M'Crae scored 6 of St. Mirren's 7 goals against Cowdenbeath in a Scottish First Division game. The finest centre forward the club ever had, he played from 1923 to 1934 and scored 224 goals in 319 League games, won a Cup winners' medal in 1926 and played for Scotland on their first continental tour in 1929. In 1934-35 he turned out for 3 clubs, Queen of the South, Darlington and New Brighton, but made only a total of 19 appearances for the three clubs and scored 6 goals.
• 1936 Dai Astley, Aston Villa and Wales inside forward transferred to Derby County. He started his career with Merthyr Town in 1927, moved to Charlton Athletic in 1928 and joined Villa in June 1931. He moved to Blackpool in 1938 and when the Second War ended his first class career in 1939 he had scored 170 goals in 377 matchs. He played 14 times for Wales between 1931 and 1939.
• 1938 Beaumont Asquith scored 5 of Barnsley's 7 goals against Darlington in a Third Division North match. A very promising centre forward, he moved to Manchester United in the summer of 1939 but the War impeded his progress. After the War he returned to Barnsley and then joined Bradford City in 1948 where he played mostly at wing half. In peace-time League games between 1934 and 1950 he made 174 appearances and scored 49 goals.
• 1994 Paul Merson of Arsenal and England confesses his gambling, drinking and cocaine habit to the Daily Mirror.